A man disguised as a beggar stole a smartphone from a mobile store in the Goaves neighborhood of Belagavi, Karnataka.

The incident highlights a tactical shift in retail theft where suspects use social disguises to bypass security and blend into crowded urban environments.

According to CCTV footage, the suspect entered the establishment appearing as a beggar before seizing the device. The stolen smartphone is valued at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh [1]. The theft occurred in the Goaves area of Belagavi, where the store's security cameras recorded the man's movements.

Local authorities are utilizing the viral video footage to identify the suspect. The disguise allowed the thief to enter the shop without raising immediate suspicion from staff or other customers. The high value of the device suggests a targeted theft rather than a crime of opportunity.

Retailers in the region have been alerted to the incident as the footage continues to circulate. The use of a disguise to facilitate the theft of high-end electronics indicates a level of premeditation. Police are reviewing the footage to determine if the suspect has a history of similar crimes in the Karnataka region.

“The stolen smartphone is valued at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh.”

This incident demonstrates the vulnerability of retail environments to 'social engineering' thefts, where criminals use psychological camouflage, such as poverty markers, to lower the vigilance of security personnel. The high value of the targeted item suggests that thieves are monitoring specific inventory to maximize the payout of a single heist.